Frame construction



March 31, 1970 L. 1 L ENz 3,503,327

FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15. 1968 dtowzays United States Patent O 3,503,327 FRAME CONSTRUCTION Leonard L. Lenz, Hales Corners, Wis., assignor to Shop- Matic Industries, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 712,745 Int. Cl. B30b 5/00; B21j 7/46; B23p 19/04 U.S. Cl. 100-257 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a frame construction for a press including a pair of vertical side members, and a fixed upper bed and a movable lower bed are secured between the side members. The side members are each provided with a series of equally spaced holes and the ends of the lower bed are also provided with a series of spaced holes having the same spacing as the holes in the side members. A pair of pins extend through the aligned holes in the side members and the ends of the lower bed to support the bed from the side members.

The lower bed can be adjusted in height by removing one pin from each end of the lower bed and rotating the bed up-wardly or downwardly about the remaining pair of pins. After the lower bed is at the desired height, the second pair of pins are reinserted within the aligned holes to lock the lower bed at that position.

Small press frames having a capacity up to approximately 1'25 tons are normally constructed of a pair of side members, and an upper bed and a lower bed are attached to the side members. In the conventional press frame, the side members are formed of channels and the lower bed includes front and rear plates which extend flatwise with respect to the flanges of the channels and pins are inserted through aligned openings in the front and back plates and in the flanges of the channels to secure the lower bed to the side members.

As it is occasionally desired to adjust the height of the lower bed with respect to the upper bed, a winch is normally mounted on the frame and operates to elevate or lower the lower bed when the pins are removed.

The present invention is directed to an improved press frame construction which enables the lower bed to be adjusted in height without the need of a winch or auxiliary power equipment. According to the invention, the frame consists of a pair of generally hollow side members and an upper bed and a lower bed extend between the side members. Each side member is provided with a series of equally spaced holes and the ends of the lower bed are similarly provided with a serise of spaced holes having the same spacing as the holes in the side members. To connect the lower bed to the side members, a pair of pins extend through the holes in each side member and are received within the holes in the end of the lower bed.

To adjust the height of the lower bed, one pin is removed from each side member and the bed is then rotated 180 either upwardly or downwardly about the remaining pair of pins which are located adjacent the upper or lower surfaces of the bed. If this initial 180 rotation is 3,503,327 Patented Mar. 31, 1970 ICC sufficient to provide the desired height adjustment for the lower bed, the lower bed is again rotated about the pins located at the midpoint of its height to return the work surface of the lower bed to its upright position. If a further adjustment in height is required, the bed can again be rotated about the pins adjacent its upper or lower edges to provide this further adjustment.

As the lower bed can be raised or lowered by merely pivoting the bed around the pins, the winch normally associated with the conventional press frame can be eliminated. As the winch forms an obstruction on the inside of the press frame, the elimination of the winch increases the work area within the side members of the frame, or alternately, enables the press frame to be constructed with a narrower width to obtain the same working clearance -within the side members.

The side members of the press frame are constructed of a pair of nesting channel members and the weight of the lower bed is carried primarily by a series of vertical, reinforcing plates or strips which are located within the hollow interior of the side members and extend the full height of the side members. The capacity of the press frame can be readily varied by increasing or decreasing the number of reinforcing strips within the side members and this enables the identical outer and inner channel members to be employed for several different capacity umts.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the dra-wings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the press frame of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower bed and side members; and I FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

The drawings illustrate a press frame 1 which supports a work head 3. The frame 1 comprises a pair of spaced vertical side members 2, and the upper ends of the side members are connected by an upper bed 3, `while a lower bed 4 is mounted between the central portions of the side members. The upper bed 3 and lower bed 4 can be of identical construction, if desired, to facilitate manufacturing procedures. The upper surface of the lower bed 4 denes a work table 5 on which the work piece is supported during a pressing or working operation.

The side members 2 are supported on legs 6 which extend fore and aft from the side members, and the lower ends of the side members are connected together by a brace 7.

As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the side members 2 consist of an outer channel 8 and an inner channel 9. The channels 8 and 9 are opposed, meaning that the flanges of the channels face in the opposite direction and are nested together. Secured within the inner channel 9 are a series of metal reinforcing strips or plates 10 which extend the entire height of the side member 2.

The lower bed 4 has a hollow construction and a series of metal, vertical reinforcing strips 11 are secured within the lower bed 3 adjacent the end surface 12 0f the lower bed.

As illustrated in FIG. l, the outer channels 8, as well 3 as the inner channels 9, are provided with a series of holes 13 and 14, respectively. The holes 13 and 14 are in alignment and are also in alignment with a series of corresponding holes in the strips 10.

Each end surface 12 of the lower bed 3 is provided with a series of holes 15 and, as shown in the drawings, three holes 15 are provided in the lower bed. In addition, the reinforcing strips 11 are provided with holes which are in alignment with the holes 15 in the lower bed.

To mount the lower bed on the side members, a pair of pins 16 extend through the holes 13 and 14 in each side member, and are received within the holes 15 in the lower bed. The Weight of the lower bed, as well as the forces developed during the pressing operation, are borne primarily by the reinforcing strips 10 and 11, and the capacity of the press frame can be changed by changing the number of the reinforcing strips 10 and 11. Thus, identical channel members 8 and 9 can be used with press frames of various capacity, for the capacity can be altered by adding or removing strips 10 from the side members and strips 11 from the lower bed.

The end surface 12 of the lower bed `4 is provided with three holes 15a, 15b and 15C, and the spacing between the holes 15 is the same as the spacing between the holes 13 and between the holes 14. The hole 15b is located approximately at the midpoint of the height of the lower bed, While holes 15a and 15C are located adjacent the upper and lower surfaces of the lower bed, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pins 16 extend through the holes 13:,` and 13d and the pins are received within the aligned holes 15a and 15b. To move the press frame upwardly, the pins 16 located in the holes 13d are removed, so that the lower bed will then be supported only by the pins located within the holes 13u, and 15a. The lower bed 4 is then manually pivoted about the axis of the pins 16 in holes 13C through an arc of 180 After this rotation the work table will be facing downwardly. The pins 16 are then inserted through the holes 13b and into the holes 15b in the lower bed. Following this, the pins extending through the holes 13e and- 15a are removed so that the bed is then supported solely by the pins extending through the holes 13b and 15b. As the holes 15b are located at approximately the midpoint of the height of the lower bed, the lower bed can then be rotated 180 to return the work table 5 to an upright position and this rotation will not raise or lower the lower bed with respect to the side members. When the work table has returned to its upright position, the lower bed can be locked in place by inserting the pins 16 either through the openings 13a or through the openings 13c and into the corresponding holes 15 in the lower bed.

By a similar procedure the lower bed can be moved up and down along the side members 2 in a series of 180 rotational increments, and when the lower bed has been moved to the desired height, if the work table is not in an upright position, the lower bed can be pivoted around the pins extending through the holes 15b to rotate the work table to the upright position.

While the above description has been directed to a frame construction for a press, the invention can be incorporated with a frame construction requiring a movable bed for any type of working operation such as die punching, blanking, shearing, embossingor the like.

With the press frame of the invention, a precise alignment of the lower bed is achieved. As the forces involved are carried primarily by the the strips and 11, elongation or sloppiness in the holes, which may occur with a conventional press frame, is eliminated and thus accurate alignment of the lower bed is obtained throughout the life of service of the press frame.

The lower bed can be readily adjusted in height by the operator without the use of a winch other auxiliary equipment. By eliminating the winch, the cost of the press frame is reduced over conventional units and the working clearance within the side members is similarly increased by eliminating the winch.

The novel construction if the side members, which are formed of the opposed channel members, enables identical channel members to be employed for different capacity frames, for the capacity is determinedv by the number of strips 10 which are secured within the inner channel 9.

I claim:

1. A frame to support a working member, comprising a pair of spaced vertical side members with each side member having a series of equally spaced rst holes extending therethrough, an upper bed secured to the upper portions of said side members, a lower bed disposed between said side members and spaced beneath said upper bed, said lower bed including an end surface facing each side member, each end surface having a plurality of -spaced second holes with the spacing between the second holes being equal to the spacing of said rst holes, and connecting means disposed within aligned first and second holes for connecting Isaid lower bed to said side members, said lower bed having a length less than the spacing between said side members whereby said lower bed can be rotated between said side members to vary the elevation of the lower bed.

2. The frame of claim 1 wherein one of the second holes in said end surface is located approximately at the center of height of said lower bed.

3. The frame of claim 1, in which the rst holes in each side member extend in a direction toward the other side member.

4. The frame of claim 1, wherein each side member includes a channel having a web and a pair`of side flanges extending outwardly from said web, said web disposed atwise to the end surface of said lower bed.

5. The frame of claim 4, and including a plurality of vertically extending reinforcing strips disposed within the channel and having openings in alignment with said rst holes.

6. The frame of claim 5, wherein the lower ends of the strips are located at the lower ends of the side members.

7. A frame for supporting a working member, comprising a pair of generallyvertical spaced side members to be supported in a foundation, said side members being hollow and having an inner wall facing the opposite Side member and having an outer wall facing away from the opposite side member, said inner wall and outer wall being provided with aligned first holes, an upper bed connected to the upper end portions of said side members, a lower bed mounted between said side members and spaced beneath the upper bed, said lower bed having a pair of end surfaces disposed flat-wise against the inner walls of the respective side members, each of said end surfaces being provided with a plurality of second holes with the spacing between said second holes being equal to the spacing between said first holes, and a pair of pins extending through the lirst holes of each side member and received within the corresponding second holes of the lower bed to connect the lower bed to said side members, said lower bed being adjustable in height by removing one pin of each pair from the respective side member and rotating the lower bed between the side member and about the remaining pin of each pair.

8. The frame of claim 7, and including reinforcing means disposed within the hollow interior of each side member, said reinforcing means being provided with a series of openings aligned with said first holes, the lower end of said reinforcing means being coextensive with the lower end of the side member and being supported on said foundation.

9. The frame of claim 7, wherein said reinforcing means comprises a plurality of vertical metal strips.

5 6 10. The frame of claim 7, wherein said lower bed is References Cited generally hollow and said frame includes a plurality of metal strips secured within the interior of the lower bed UNITED STATES PATENTS adjacent said end surfaces, said strips being provided with 111821023 5 1916 McGregoropenings disposed in alignment with said second holes. 5 1,646,510 10/1927 Weavel' M 29--251 11. The frame of claim 7, wherein each support mem- 2,948,057 8/1960 Dagenais 29-251 XR ber includes an outer channel having a web portion and 3,201,967 8/1965 Balamuth et al side flanges extending outwardly from said web portion and an inner channel having a web portion and side BILLY J' WILHITE Prlmary Exammer flanges extending outward from said web portion, the 10 flanges of each channel facing the web of the other US' C1' X'R channel and said channels being nested together. 29-251; 72-441 

